Reminder: Section 3.10 states that "When the enrollment of any self-contained elementary classroom or any academic secondary classroom exceeds thirty (30) students, the teacher shall notify his/her immediate supervisor in writing." BE SURE TO DO THIS! Also notify your building representative! By "enrollment", it means that the 31st student has actually walked through your door for which you are accountable! All 31 students do NOT have to be present on any given day. Special Education teachers should do the same thing if their enrollment exceeds the limits mandated by state and/or federal law.

***CHANGE*** From the "Memorandum of Agreement" - "Recognizing that a strong foundation is essential to future academic achievement, every effort shall be made to maintain small class size at the elementary level - i.e. twenty (20). Accordingly, if enrollment in an elementary classroom exceeds twenty-five (25), that situation shall be immediately bargained.

In a word: "DON'T!" Do NOT store medicine in your room and do NOT administer medication--including aspirin--under any circumstances. Medication is to be administered ONLY by a school nurse or an administrator.

Taking someone else's class during your preparation period is VOLUNTARY. If you choose to do so, you are to be compensated at the rate of $20 per period--or any fraction thereof. If you supervise another teacher's students in addition to your own, then you are to be compensated at the aforementioned internal substitution rate--$20 for each additional teacher's students.

Any employee who wishes to join the IEA Credit Union should obtain the proper forms, complete them, and send them to the District payroll department during the first month of a semester. Forms are available from Ron Newell.

Apparently there has been some "discussion" about the abuse of cell phones during class time. The District administration does NOT want to "drop the hammer" on cell phone use by employees. They realize that some employees...such as myself...carry a cell phone for emergency purposes...as a caregiver. However, they are also concerned about reports of employee cell phone use for "questionable" purposes. So...PLEASE...limit cell phone use during class time to "personal emergencies" only...or for school business. If we ignore this "suggestion", "rules and regulations" will surely follow...with negative consequences. Cooperation requested...PLEASE!

I have tried to cover a variety of items pertaining to the beginning of school. Many of these were of a contractual nature. Obviously, I cannot cover the entire contract in a newsletter. BUT--Each of you received a copy of our new contract yesterday. This contract governs many important facets of your daily work-life until June 30, 2008! PLEASE--READ your Contract and familiarize yourself with it. Many complaints that I have received from bargaining unit members in the past should NOT have been happening. The actions were in direct violation of the contract! BUT--THE MEMBER DID NOT KNOW!!! The Association can only enforce the contract for ALL employees if EACH employee knows the contract and insists upon its enforcement. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO "FIGHT" THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THE VIOLATION--SOMETIMES THEY DID NOT KNOW EITHER. If you are comfortable with bringing the matter to the attention of your immediate supervisor, ask him/her about it. If you are not, PLEASE notify your building representative. A lot of long hours and hard work went into negotiating our current contract. Do not give away these hard-fought gains.

• PUPIL DISCIPLINE--Reminder...we addressed administration concerns about "mandated time out of the classroom by students for disciplinary reasons"...the "50 minute rule"...by allowing (earlier) readmission to class "WHEN THE TEACHER RECEIVES WRITTEN NOTIFICATION OF THE ACTION TAKEN". So...they CAN send them back to you, but you MUST get something in writing that says what punishment was administered...NOT just a note that says they can come back now!!!
• INTERRUPTION OF INSTRUCTION:
  1. "Classroom visitations (for observation purposes only) shall be allowed on a scheduled basis following prior consultation with the classroom teacher. Parent-teacher conferences shall be scheduled before school, after school, or during planning time so as not to interrupt the regular instructional program."
  2. "Except under emergency circumstances, office initiated communications over the intercom shall be restricted to once a day - preferably during a non-instructional period."
• EXTRA DUTY:
  1. "The Cairo Association of Teachers confirms and supports well-organized and effective extra-curricular programs for Cairo students. The Cairo Association of Teachers' leadership will join with district administration and Board of Education to actively encourage and influence CAT professional staff to assist in improving extra-curricular programs by assisting, insofar as possible, in the coaching and sponsorship of the various athletic and club programs." (Although coaches and sponsors were required to reapply - again - for their positions this summer, we have been assured by District officials that this will NOT reoccur. From this day forward, coaches/sponsors will be informed of any alleged deficiencies during the course of their extra duty employment in order that they may effect change. Coaches/sponsors will NOT be subjected to "annual mass firings"...but will only be released for "cause". The Association accepts these assurances in good faith.)
  2. "The Cairo Association of Teachers confirms and supports well-organized and effective extra-curricular programs for Cairo students. Accordingly, the Cairo Association of Teachers will join with the administration (BOE) to recruit and develop a volunteer group of certified staff...willing to assist the District as supervisors and/or workers at athletic events and as chaperones on away events. In the event sufficient volunteers cannot be recruited...the CAT will support the administration (BOE) in implementation of the provisions included in Section 4.5 (Extra Duty Ball Game Work) of the Contractual Agreement." (Folks...when they send around the "volunteer sheets" for working a athletic events, PLEASE consider signing up.)